The design of Apple’s Magic Mouse remains a major complaint among Mac users, a blemish on Apple’s otherwise great design choices. The ergonomics are inhumane, it still uses the Lightning charging port (even on the new M3 iMac), and it can’t be charged while in use.
However, an engineer has introduced his own design concept that will not only solve the charging problem on the Magic Mouse but also make the design ergonomic and comfortable for natural handling.
Systems engineer and hardware hacker, Ivan Kuleshov recently shared X (formerly Twitter) Their results in making Apple’s Magic Mouse task-focused from a user perspective. First of all, they replaced Apple’s Lightning port with a USB-C port, which is probably a wise move since the brand has also shifted its iPhone 15 series to USB-C. There is no telling what accessories may be adopted in the future to maintain compatibility.
Kuleshov moved the port from the bottom of the accessory to the front right corner. This will allow users to maintain functionality while they charge the peripheral. Although the Magic Mouse will still be a little difficult to use due to it having a lanyard attached to the front, the point is that the mouse still works.
Internally, the mouse has a battery that connects directly to the sensor, allowing charging and functionality at the same time. Additionally, Kuleshov created an ergonomic frame using an Apple-branded glass top. He created an extension inside the mouse to enable the click. They vary in black and white, and he also modified them with RGB lighting. Kuleshov said he will soon make the details of his project available on his website and GitHub for anyone who cares to replicate the improvements.
While noting that there is always room for improvement, they have not indicated whether this version will include other Apple features, such as swipe gesture support.
Apple released its latest version of the Magic Mouse in March 2022, retaining the same form factor that it introduced in October 2015. With power on the bottom of the mouse, you have to turn the mouse upside down to plug it in for charging, leaving it unusable. The Verge referred to the process as “a beetle with its legs in the air”.
Other modders have attempted to create fixes for Apple’s actual mouse without disassembling it, with little success. YouTuber, Matty Benedetto of Unnecessary Inventions, attempted to create a device that would hold the Magic Mouse and allow it to connect to a Lightning port that was pointing upward. In theory, this would allow the mouse to function and charge at the same time. However, when he plugged the accessory into the laptop for charging it stopped working.